Centrifugal apparatus



C. P. LANDRETH. CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILVED JUNE 24. 1920.

Patented July 5, A921..

lllll Il //IIIII Apparatus, of which the followingv vis a' UNITED STATES PATENTY OFFICE.,

CLARENCE P. LANDBETH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

l lCEN'CFRIIEU'GriAIli APPARATUS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 24, 1920. Serial No. 391,346.

To all whom t may concer/n.'

Beit known that I, CLARENCE P. LAND- RETH, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal specification. l

My invention relates to centrifugal apparatus for operating upon liquid by centrifugal force to separate therefrom contents differing from the liquid in specific gravity.

My invention resides in centrifugal applaratus, particularly of thecontinuously operating type, in which there is provided means for positively transporting at a -progressively increasing rate and discharging separated material, such means in the example of my invention herein described comprising a screw of varying pitch rotating at a speed differing from the speed of the centrifugal drum. i My invention resides in centrifugal apparatus of the `character hereinafter de'- scribed and claimed. l

For an illustration of one of the various forms my invention may take, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is, a longitudinal sectional View, partly in elevation, of apparatus embodying .my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig.'1, some parts being shown in plan.

Referring to the drawings, upon the base l 1 are disposed the bearings 2, 2 for the shaft 3 rotated by any suitable means, as for example, the pulley 4. Secured by key 5 to 'the shaft 3 is the hub of the spider 6 on the outer' ends of whosel arms is secured by screws 7 the inner drum 8 which, in the example illustrated, is cylindrical.; At its other end the drum 8 islsecured by screws 9 to a flange upon the hollow conical member 10 secured by key 11 to the shaft 3 which rotates the inner drum 8 and itsy conical end or yextension 10.

Inclosing the drum 8 is .the outer drum 12 secured as by bolts 13 to the member 14 having the hub 15 bearing upon the shaft 3. The member 14 forms an end closure for the drum 12 and has the thickened portion 16 having the inwardly extending liange 17 having the aperture 18V surrounding 4and spaced from the shaft) 3. The part 16 has.

Between the flange 17- and the hub of the member 14 is formed an inlet chamber20 into which is delivered the liquid to be operated upon through pipe 21 extending through the aperture 18. With the chamber 2 0 communicate the outwardly extending channels or passages 22 in the chamber 14, these passages delivering at 23 into the space between the inner and outer drums 8 and 12. Between the passages 22 are formed within the member 14 the passages 24 communicating with the interior of the drum 8 and ex- Patented July 5, 1921.

the outwardly extending flange or Ilip 19.

with and is driven by the gear 32 upon the countershaft y33 supported inthe bearings 34, 35 supported upon the base l. Disposed upon the shaft 33 is the third gear 36, the key 37 securing both gears 32 and 36 to the shaft 33. Meshing with and' driving the gear 36 is the gear 38-secured by key 39 to the shaft 3. housing 40 secured to the base 1 incloses the gears and the bearings 34 and 35.

At the'end of the conical member 27 is disposed a housing 41 into which separated material is delivered from the space between the conical members 10 and 27 through the discharge apertures 42 in the member 27 into the-housing 41, which communicates with the discharge outlet 43 in the base 1..

Uperating in the space between drums 8 and 12 and their conical ends or extensions 10 and 27 for transporting separated material from right to left, Fig. 1, at progressively increasing rate, is the member 44 in' toward the left, Fig. 1, the pitch increasing Y not only on the member 8, but also, preferably, upon the cone 10. The crest or outer edge of the helix or screw 44 has slight clearance from the interior surface of the a i 4drum 12and cone 27, this .clearancepreferthrough the apertures 46`to the interior ofv the drum 8.. Discharge apertures 42 and the inner edge of aperture 18 :are at a sub` ably being made as small as practicable.

VAt vsuitable distance from the right end lof the drum 8 there-'rare formed therein a plurality of circumferentially spaced dischargeapertures 46 whereby# liquid from the space between the drums 8 and 12 passes stantially less radial distance from the axis of shaft 3 than are the discharge apertures 46, thus preventing theidischarge .of'liquid through lapertures42. On the exterior of the drum 8 at its ijiglhtend, Fig. 1, are se,

cured a suitablel number of outwardlyprojectin agitators, paddles or members 47 suitab y spaced lcii'cuniferentially fromeach other. .I

The operation is kas follows:

The shaft Sis' rotated `at suitable speed' by thefpulley` 4,A thus driving the drum 8 and cone 10 and the attached screw-44 at a predetermined suitably high speed. .The gear 38 drives the gear 36, whichl in turn less than-the vspeed of rotation of the drum 8, cone 10 and screw 44. `For exampldthe shaft 3` and therefore the drum 8, cone-10 and screw 44fmay rotate at a speed of 906 revolutions perlminute, andthe druni` 12 I' the right en 8 and 12, where the agitators orpaddles 47- cause it to be brought upto high speed,"

50 whereupon, due to centrifugal force, the,

and cone 27 'at a' slightly dilferentspeed, for

example, 900 revolutions per minute. Both the inner and outer drums and cones rotate i in the saine direction, which direction is lsuch that the'screwv44 will tend to move separated material from the right toward the left, as viewed in Fig.*1. e j

The liquid to be loperatedI upon, as sewage or anyl other liquidfcontaining solids or semi-solids,l is introduced, through ythe pipe 21 into the ehamber'20, from which it is delivered f under the action vof centrifugal force throughthe passages 22 and 23 into of the space between the drums solids or semi-solids or both' are thrown out;

- wardly toward the inner surface of thedrum 12,*while the lighter liquid is forced tooocupy a region of less diameter nearer'the outer surface of the drum 8. The solids or semi-solids, as the sludge of sewage, so sepa-v ratedibycentrifugal action, are moved from" right toward the left by the :conveyor screw 44 which, due to its increasing pitch', accommodates betweenneighboring convolutions of the screw greater and greater 'uantities l 'which are progressively accurnu ating as more and morecomplete separation' from' the liquid takes place, These solids 91* Semi' l iaaeiasolids, or both, as sewagesludge is accordingly delivered ,throughout the lengthv of the drum 8 .and thence through Athe space be.

tween the'` cones 10' and 27 .to the left end 0f 'the apparatus, Vwhere it ,is discharged through the apertures 42 into the housing 41 and is delivered through the discharge outlet 43. The clarified liquid also progresses from right to left/inthesp-ace between lthe drums 8 and 12, but 'due to its greater fluidity, is not carried 'out throi'igl'nl apertures' 42, but forms a layer of substantially uniform thickness 0n the wall of drum 12, which is retained by conical meinberrf2'.`

This layer increases in thickness as material is supplied through pipe 21 until it completely fills the space between' drums 8 and.

12, whereupon claried'liquid passes through apertures 46 into the-interior-1ofthe'drum 8, againstuvvhose inner wall Vthe clarified liquid is held byjcentrifugal action. and passes toward the rightthrough the'space betv'veenV the arms of the spider 6, thence out through the passages 24 to thel'exterio'r of the member `16^intc.the housing 25, thev liquid as it discharges through the passages Y 24 flowing outwardlyby centrifugal force, but'b'eing retainedby `the housing 25 to the bottom of which it` drops and passes out through `discharge outlet 26. The rib or flange '19 confines the liquid delivered intoy the housing 25, preventing it from lowing to the left of the flange 1.9, where substantialV .quantitiesV might otherwise escape between z the housing'25 and theouter surface of the 'drum 12.v Y

What I claim ise:-' l 1. Centrifugal appa tus f comprising an inner drum and an outer-drum co-axial. with said inner drum, converging co-axial extensions on adjacent ends o the saine direction at different rates of speed, means for feeding material between said drums, and means for. advancing said `material between said drums to'said extensions said drums, means for rotating said drums and extensions in ioo and 1 between said extensions toward the.

smaller ends thereof.

creasing rate. l

2. Centrifugal apparatus comprising .co-

at 'a progressively in;

axial rotatable cylindrical drums, co-axial conical extensions on adjacent ends of said cylindrical drums, means for rotating said drums and conical extensions in 'the same di- .rections at different speeds, means for feedring material between said 4drums atthe end remote from said conical extensions, a heli` calrib on theone of said cylindrical drums .extending close to'the other drumhaving a progressively increasing pitch inthe direction of said conical extensions, and a helical rib on one of said conical extensions havin a progressively increasing pitch toward t e vertex of said extension.

3' Centrifugal apparatus comprising innel-H isc and outer eo-axial horizontally disposed cyf lindrical drums, co-axial conical extensions on adjacent ends of said drums, means for rotating said drums and extensions in the same direction, Said inner drum and extension rotating at greater speed than said outer drum and extension, means for feeding material between said drums, a helical rib of varying pitch on one of said drums approachlng the other drum adapted to advance material between said drums toward said conical extensions, and a helical rib on one of said conical extensions of said inner drum approaching the other conical extension, said last named helical rib having a progressively increasing pitch from the end of said one drum toward the vertex of said conical one extension. l

4. Centrifugal apparatus comprising inner and outer cofaxial cylindrical drums, conical extensions on adjacent ends of said drums, the smaller ends of said conical extensions being remote from the ends of said drums, means for rotating said inner drum with l its conical extension .and said outer drum with its conical extension in the same direction at diiferent rates of speed, means for feeding materialbetween said drums, means for advancing said material between said drums toward said conical extensions and between said conical extensions toward their smaller ends at a progressively increasing rate, a discharge opening in the outer of said conical extensions at less radial distance from the axis thereof than said inner drum, and a discharge opening in said inner drum.

5. Centrifugal apparatus comprising inner and outer co-axial cylindrical drums, co-

axial conical extensions on adjacent ends of said drums, means for rotatmg Said'drums and conical extensions in the same direction progressively increasing pitch adapted to convey said material' toward said conical ex1 tensions, a helical rib on said inner extension having a progressively increasing pitch approaching the vertex of said extension adapted to convey material toward said vertex, a discharge opening in said inner drum spaced from the end thereof to which mal terial is fed, and a discharge opening in said outer extension at a substantially less distance from the axis thereof than is said first named discharge opening from said axis.

6. Centrifugal apparatus comprising coaxial inner and outer drums, co-axial conical extensions on adjacent ends of said drums, said drums and their extensions being spaced from each other, means `for rotating said drums and their extensions in the same direction at different speeds, means for feeding material to the space between said drums, and a continuous feed helix in the space between said drums andtheir extensions havinga pitch increasing progressively in the space between said drums and in the space between said extensions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto af-y CLARENCE P. LANDRETH. 

